Council Stalls Veterans' Plan

Stortz Proposes Referring Commemorative Coin To Committee

BRISTOL — A request by the veterans council to use the city seal on a commemorative coin it is planning hit an unexpected snag at a meeting Tuesday of the city council.

Citing a need for more time to consider the ramifications of the proposed use, Mayor William Stortz proposed tabling a decision and referred the matter to the council's veterans committee.

``All too often we have done things in a hurry and it has caused problems,'' Stortz said after the meeting. ``It's not the city that's going to be using this.''

Anthony Savino, secretary of the Bristol Veterans Council -- an umbrella group representing five city veterans organizations -- called the postponement a ``bag job.'' Stortz said he was unhappy, because the request was submitted to the city clerk's office rather than the mayor.

Savino said he filed the paperwork two weeks ago, but Stortz said the request had come to his attention only Tuesday.

The veterans council plans to use the coins as tokens of thanks, giving them to volunteers, guest speakers or anyone else who supports their activities. The coin would measure 1 1/2 inches in diameter -- slightly bigger than a silver dollar -- and be made of bronze, Savino said.

One side would bear the name of the council along with the insignias of the military's five branches. The other side would have the city seal and the words ``For outstanding support to Veterans.''

``When we have a function, say Memorial Day, we'll have a little token to give them,'' said Savino, holding up a sample. ``Something like this.''

This is not the first time an outside group has asked permission to use the city seal. Several years ago an author requested its use on a book he was writing, eliciting the same trepidation, recalled Dale Clift, assistant corporation counsel.

Stortz had the full support of the board in holding off on the decision. The vote to table the request was unanimous.

``That's why we have these committees so we can look at these questions,'' said Councilman Craig Minor.

Savino told members he needed an answer by March 29, to have the coins ready in time for Memorial Day. No date was set for the meeting of the council's veterans committee, but Stortz asked councilman Art Ward, the committee's chairman, to have a recommendation ready by the council's March 13 meeting.